DISABLED people who phone a Government hotline to appeal against benefits sanctions are charged more than millionaires calling to query their tax bill.

Yesterday, Scots MP Chris Stephens demanded an end to the premium-rate charges, dubbed the “telephone tax”. He urged the Department for Work and Pensions to drop costly 0345 numbers that have seen his constituents paying up to £9 to make an inquiry on their benefits status.

The SNP MP for Glasgow South West challenged Theresa May to change the top-rate telephone lines when he confronted her at Prime Minister’s Questions.

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“Should a disabled citizen pay this price or does the Prime Minister agree with me that we should end this telephone tax on the most vulnerable in society?”

May said the Government were implementing new guidelines on telephone charges.

But Stephens said later: “It is an absolute scandal that a millionaire phoning the HMRC’s High Net Worth tax line can be charged at a lower rate than a constituent of mine who is caught up in a query over benefit claims.”

The MP said the average charge for calls to the DWP was about £5 but the department estimated the average call lasted 12 minutes and 56 seconds – which could mean charges as high as £9.

The Government helpline for the High Net Worth Unit, who investigate the tax affairs of 6500 wealthy individuals, is a cheap-rate 03000 number.

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A spokesman for the PM said: “99 per cent of these claims are made online.

Sir Philip Green will pay a much cheaper rate if he has a query about his taxes (Image: Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty)

“Very few people actually make the phone call and the department make it clear that in those cases people can ask the department to call them back so that they do not face a large bill.

“It is not a money-making issue. Work is going on across Government to address the issue.”

Stevens said: “This is a sorry excuse from a heartless Government. I have had people approach me since I raised the issue telling me they have been charged as much as £16 to make calls relating to their claims.

“I will keep on campaigning and raising this issue until the telephone tax is dropped.”

"Get Him Telt"

WORK and Pensions Secretary Damian Green was running scared from Record readers yesterday.

We printed Green’s contact details and urged readers to set him straight.

Esther Ward, from Crosshill, Fife, rang Green’s office to tell him about a “degrading” Work Capability Assessment her brother had been put through. She was told Green wasn’t available and emails went unanswered.

The 58-year-old then wrote to Green, saying: “No one could know and understand the problems of the sick and disabled and still choose to allow them to be treated in the manner that they are.

“You can’t possibly know what it is to be without hope and food to feed you and your family but it is far worse than anything portrayed in the film I, Daniel Blake.

"I understand there have to be budgets but why do you not stop tax giveaways to the rich?